Hot-water heater and boiler



' Dec. 31, 1929. C. DIGEON 1,742,063

HOT WATER HEATER AND BOILER Filedv Deo. 291" 1927 FIGA:

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Patented Dec. 31, 1929 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES DIG-EON, OF ST. MANDE, FRANCE HOT-WATER HEATER AND BOILER Application iled December 29, 1927, Serial No. 243,427, and in France May 4, .1927.

The present invention relates essentially to a boiler apparatus for central 'heating purposes, which is adapted for combination heating, for instance by coal and gas, and in 5 which the fuel is utilized in the most approved manner.

In usual practice, the central heating boilers `are heated by a single fuel, either exclut deniable that dwellings can be more 'economi-` 2o cially heated by the use of a boiler apparatus employing coal fuel than by the use of a* boiler employing gas fuel, also taking ac-` count of all the advantages obtained by the use of gas.

If the cost of coal heating is taken as unity, the cost of, gas heatingWll be about 1.8, or an increase of 8O per cent.

However it should be observed that the gas-heated boilers Will offer a great responsiveness, and their heat output (and hence the cost of fuel) can be reduced according to the conditions of the'weather; the efficiency .(or yield) of such boilers may attain 8O per cent. On the other hand, the coal-heated boiler apparatus cannot descend below a certain` heating limit Without risk of extinguishing; `.their lefficiency is never above 60 per cent, and it is shown by calculation and by practice that for certain external temperatures between +10 and V1513 degrees, the cost of gas heating will equal the cost of coaly heating but above this temperature it will be less.

`With the use of .coal fuel, the rooms will be overheated to an undesirable degree.

` Taking into consideration the tota-l annual heating period, and even 'admitting that the number of days during which gas heating is more economical is equal to the'number of days .inwvhicli'coal beating smore economi'- weather, the results are much in favour of coal burning, but gas proves more economi- Cal during the summer season, in Which the boiler serves only to supply hot Water for consumption, so that its heating capacity is but little utilized.

To obviate the defect which consists in the overheating of the rooms above the critical temperature above specified, and to reduce the cost of the hot Water supply for consumption When the rooms are not heated, an approved plant should comprise tWo boilers of the same or different capacities adapted for simultaneous or separate operation.

In many cases, one of these boilers operates upon gas and is exclusively adapted for the intermittent heating` during temperate seasons, and for the hot Water supply during the summer.

VYhile a plant of this kind has the advantage of an economical operation, itsv first cost is considerable, and due to itslarge size it is not available for use in conditions in Which it would prove most valuable, such for instance for the heating of living rooms.

The apparatus according to myinvention will obviate all such defects. The apparatus is no larger than a coal-heated apparatus of the same capacity, and its cost is hardly greater, forit consists in the combination of a coal-burningboiler and a gas-burningA boiler, and l employ, Wholly or partially, the same heating surfaces. i

The .appended drawings show by Way `of example anembodiment of the saidlinvention. i

, F ig. l is a vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 sho-Ws the said apparatus in sec'- tion and in elevation, With one of the heatprotecting plates removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section. Fig. l is a vertical section of a heatingapparatus combined With a gas-.heated kitchen stove or range. Y

' The. apparatus according to the invention chiefiy consists of four portions, connected together in pairs, in which the water is circulated. These four parts 1--2--1a-2a (Fig. 3) are of the tubular type with a small water capacity and when assembled they constitute the combustion chamber or furnace of the boiler apparatus, the grate 33 being also provided. The two side parts 1 and 2 have the special form shown in Fig. 1. Their lower bent portion surrounds the ash pit 3, also forming a recess for the gas burners 4 and 5. i

The said side parts comprise on their outer surface the vertical projections 8 and 9 (Fig. 2) between which are circulated the products of combustion from the gas burners; in contact with said projections are the heatinsulating plates 6 and 7 which form the outer walls of the boiler apparatus.

The inner surfaces of the four parts transmit the heat of the coal furnace, and the outer surfaces of the side parts transmit the heat of the gas burners.

The inner surface of the furnace chamber comprises vertical ribs which are smooth and continuous from top to bottom (Fig.

The projections 8-9 on the outer surfaces of the side parts are made vertical and parallel to facilitate cleaning with a scovel or sponge. They have the staggered position so as to subdivide the gas and thus further the transmission of the heat. For a like purpose, and also to compensate to the maximum degree for the small value of the coefficient of transmission between the gas and the walls, certain of the said projections (9) are made solid, whilst the others (8) can contain water. The projections 8 and 9 are preferably disposed in staggered relation with respect to each other, as shown in Figure 2.

At the top, the side pieces are cut out for the circulation of the products of combustion of the gas into the smoke box 11 (Fig. 1) by which the said products are collected and are led to the discharge conduit 12 (Fig. Q) through the openings 13. The smoke box 11 is bounded at its lower part by a hollow plate 10, in which water is circulated and at its upper part by a solid removable metal plate 14. )Vlien coal alone is to be used, a damper 15 is provided to close the openings 13, thus cutting off the draft and preventing the feeding of air through the openings 16 to the gas burners 4 and 5.

Due to the use of the removable plate 14, any person may readily clean the outer surfaces which are heated by the gas, by the use of a suitable tool, this being-moved vertically between the projections 8 and 9.

The apparatus is completed by the base 17 comprising two channels 22 adapted to receive and to lead ofi' the condensed water produced by the action'of the gas burners, as well as by the removable top cover 18, the loading hopper 19, and the ash pit door, with adjustable air inlet. The coal smoke is discharged at 40 (Fig. 2).

Two thermostats (not shown), whereof one serves for the coal functioning and controls the air to the ash pit, and the other is adapted for gas operation, will automatically regulate the temperature of the water or the steam at the outlet of the boiler, in the known manner.

Should the outer surface of the lateral parts be insufficient to assure the proper heating, the insulating plates 6 7 are replaced by water circulation devices 61-7a which are placed next the said parts 1--2 in the proper number. This disposition is shown in the boiler represented in Fig. 4.

This figure shows the combination of the aforesaid double-action boiler, with a kitchen range using gas.

This combination, which is one of the fea tures of my present invention, enables the use of the fuel in the most approved manner.

It forms a complete apparatus of small size which assures the maximum degree of comfort and economy, in the following manner:

1. The apparatus provides for central heating as well as a supply of hot water, and it burns coal during cold weather.

2. It provides for central heating and for the hot water supply, operating upon gas during moderate weather.

3. Hot water is obtained by burning gas in summer. Y

4. Cooking, in all seasons, is effected with gas, since it is well proved that this fuel offers practical superiority as well as economy.

In Fig. 4, like parts are shown by the corresponding numerals, with reference to Fig. 1.

6u and 7a are the side parts which are juxtaposed and serve for the water circulation.

6 and 7 are the heat-protecting plates or panels. The plate 14 forms the top of the apparatus, and it is simply laid in a rabbet in the frame 29, upon which is also placed the top 30 of the gas range; 23 is the protecting plate; 24 is the sugar-baking oven; Q5 is the roasting oven; 2G are the gas burners; 27 are the metallic radiating plates; 28 are the outlets for the products of combustion.

To afford a substantial apparatus, the boiler is not placed upon the same base as the. range, but upon a separate base provided with ribs 31-32 in contact with the ground.

This disposition of the kitchen range of the gas type is given solely by way of example, and this also applies to the general arrangement of the apparatus. As concerns the choice of fuel, this depending upon the cost, the aforesaid dispositions are applicable with equal facility for the use of all kinds of sold fuel which may be substituted for coal; the gas-burning vpart might be replaced by suitable vmeans 'for burning variousother ,fuels,`whether liquid or gaseous.

Obviously, I may employ various forms of construction for the said apparatus, without departing from the principles of the invention, and the details of construction and erection may be suitably Varied.

I claim:

l. A water boiler comprising a plurality of sections assembled together to constitute a combustion chamber for the boiler, a grate mounted in said chamber and supporting a solid fuel therein, Vertical parallel hollow ribs adapted to be filled with water formed on the inner surfaces of said sections and eX- posed to the combustion of the solid fuel, vertically spaced hollow projections adapted to be filledl with water arranged on the outer surfaces of said sections and communicating with the ribs ofthe latter, and fluid fuel burners mounted to act upon said projections. y

2. A water boiler comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular sections assembled vertically to constitute a combustion chamber for the boiler, a grate mounted in said chamber and supporting a solid fuel therein, Vertical parallel hollow ribs adapted to be filled with water formed on the inner surfaces of said sections and extending throughout the length thereof, said ribs being exposed to the combustionv of the solid fuel, vertically spaced hollow projections adapted to be filled with water, arranged on the outer surfaces of said sections and communicating with ribs of the latter, and fluid fuel burners mounted to act upon said projections.

3. A water boiler comprising' a plurality of substantially rectangular sections assembled vertically to constitute a combustion chamber for the boiler, a grate mounted in said chamber and supporting a solid` fuel therein, vertical parallel hollow ribs adapted to be filled with water formed on the inner surfaces of said sections and extending throughout the length thereof, saidribs being exposed to the combustion of the solid fuel, Vertically spaced hollow projections adapted to be filled with water, arranged on the outer surfaces of said sections and communicating with ribs of the latter, a fluid fuel burner mounted to act upon said projections, and `heat absorbing plates disposed in staggered relation with respect to said projections on the outer surfaces of said sections.

4f. A water boiler comprising a plurality of sections assembled together to constitute a combustion chamber for the boiler, a grate mounted in said chamber and supporting a solid fuel therein, parallel hollow ribs adapted to be filled with water formed on the inner surfaces of said sections and exposed to the combustion of the solid fuel, hollow projections adapted to be filled with water larranged on the outer surfaces of said sections and registering and communicating with the ribs of the latter, water circulating means disposed adjacent said projections on the outer side thereof, and fluid fuel burners mounted to act upon said projections.

In testimony whereof he has affixed his signature.

CHARLES DIGEON. 

